During a parliamentary meeting of the Committee on Law and Order, Combating Crime, and Anti-Corruption, Deputy Aisuluu Mamashova stated that many citizens are suffering from oncological diseases today, attributing it to uranium dumps.
"One of the reasons for oncological diseases is the environmental situation. In Mailuu-Suu, on Issyk-Kul, where there are uranium dumps, there are a lot of sick people, including children. Mailuu-Suu is an environmentally unsafe place," noted the parliament member.
The Minister of Natural Resources, Melis Turgunbaev, stated that there is currently no scientific evidence that the number of cancer patients has increased due to uranium.
"Natural uranium does not harm health. There is a conclusion from the Ministry of Health. An investigation involving all ministries has been conducted," the official said.
Deputy Minister of Health, Bubuzhan Arykbaeva, revealed that the Ministry of Health had previously formed an interdepartmental working group. Research on soil, water, and air in Kyzyl-Ompol has been carried out.
It is worth noting that in late February, President Sadyr Japarov commented on the uranium deposit development project in Kyzyl-Ompol. He urged not to be afraid when it comes to uranium, emphasizing the importance of understanding the types of minerals and at what level they become dangerous.
"Our uranium is a raw material and is not dangerous in its current state. The concern should be enriched uranium for specific purposes. However, we must be cautious and refrain from stating that our uranium is completely harmless. After its separation during storage and transportation, of course, we must be very careful. Specialists should exercise maximum vigilance in this matter," stated the head of state.
The draft law "On Amending Some Legislative Acts of the Kyrgyz Republic (in the Code of Administrative Offenses, the Law 'On Subsoil') and Declaring Null and Void the Law 'On Prohibiting Activities Related to Geological Exploration of Subsoil for the Search, Exploration, and Development of Uranium and Thorium Deposits in the Kyrgyz Republic'" was submitted to the Jogorku Kenesh in mid-May. The legislative initiative was introduced by the Cabinet of Ministers.
It is worth mentioning that in the spring of 2019, Kyrgyzstan was rocked by a wave of protests against the uranium deposit development project in the Issyk-Kul region. The outcome of the protests was the revocation of the uranium mining license. Later, the country adopted a law prohibiting the exploration and development of uranium and thorium deposits.
